Friday, October 17, 2008


Border Patrol's expanded operation irking farmers Expanded U.S. Border Patrol operations in Washington state have created friction between the agency and a farmers organization, underlining the debate over immigration and the labor needs of the state's multibillion-dollar agricultural industry. The Washington Farm Bureau, which represents thousands of farmers across the state, has spoken out against the roadblocks being operated by the agency in several counties in the state _ including some near agricultural areas. "We're very unhappy with the feds," said Dan Fazio, director of employer services for the Washington Farm Bureau. "We believe these roadblocks violate the constitution, be it the federal or the state's." From apples to raspberries, Washington's agricultural industry is labor intensive, depending on tens of thousands of farm workers a year. The Border Patrol incursions inland touch a contentious issue. Many farm workers in the U.S. are believed to be illegal immigrants, often using fake identification documents to gain employment. Farmers say they already have trouble finding enough workers and Border Patrol operations may scare off even more....

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